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Onnwal (S10)
For ages, the Free State of Onnwal has been wracked by war. Invaded and occupied by the insidious and cruel Brotherhood of the Scarlet Sign, Onnwal's people fought to regain their land and liberty. After countless battles and thousands of dead they prevailed. Onnwal is free once more. The capital, Scant,has only just begun to recover from its destruction by the Scarlet Brotherhood in a spiteful act of vengeance, it is haunted now by the restless shades of the thousands of innocents who perished there. Across the land, families mourn the loss of a generation maimed or killed in over decades of war, while they struggle to plant and harvest their crops. Among the country's great and good, there are signs that the quarrelsome factions that put aside their differences to defeat the common enemy are rediscovering them. Though the brand of the Scarlet Sign has been removed, other shadows deepen in Onnwal. In the tors and canyons of the Headlands, a fell and shadowy threat grows, while the ancient rivalry between the pious dwarves and the Flannae Headlanders erupts again into open war. In the lowlands, many Onnwalons look fearfully towards the east and the growing might of Ahlissa, whose powerful fleets and bottomless treasuries helped win Onnwal its freedom. Others wonder if the Scarlet Brotherhood–justly feared for their spies and assassins - have truly departed the land or whether they lurk still, all the more dangerous now that they are hidden once more. And yet there is hope. The war has bred a generation of heroes, ready to raise spell and blade against the enemies of Onnwal. They won the war for their freedom–can they now win the peace? History After the Aerdi first conquered the lands surrounding the lower Flanmi and founded the kernel of their empire along the Solnor Coast, their ambitions soon turned to the southwest, where great riches awaited. The Flan kingdom of Ahlissa was conquered in the fifth century OR and eventually became the core of mighty South Province. The lands farther south were controlled by the Suel, but a series of brutal wars brought regions such as Idee and Sunndi into the burgeoning Aerdi kingdom (as part of South Province) over the next century. In 598 OR (-46 CY), Onnwal was taken after a long and bloody conflict that ended with the establishment of Irongate and final control of the Headlands for the Aerdi. The peninsula was awarded as a fief to the herzog of South Province, who constructed the port of Scant in 12 CY to facilitate its colonization by the Aerdi. The port also served as a means by which to share Onnwal's resources, particularly the silver and platinum being drawn out the hills, with the markets of Prymp and Chathold. The szeks of Onnwal who administered the land were originally appointed by the herzog in Zelradton and were usually favored members of his court. When the Turmoil of Between the Crowns sowed rebellion and caused widespread division in the Great Kingdom, Onnwal joined the other southern states who broke from the Malachite Throne. The herzog of South Province failed to force them back into line, and Szek Parmus Destron became an independent lord in the aftermath. Rulership of the land henceforth became hereditary. Onnwal and Irongate provided the primary naval support for the Iron League, with the Szek responsible for shuttling league business between the Azure Sea and their allies in Nyrond and the north. For the next century and a half, Destron's descendants continued to rule the land from their protected capital in Scant. The Greyhawk Wars Onnwal, unlike Irongate, failed to recognize the treachery that caused it to fall into the hands of the Scarlet Brotherhood during the Greyhawk Wars. The land had never been invaded and had previously been subjected only to periodic naval raids by South Province. The Scarlet Brotherhood assassinated Szek Ewerd Destron and took over the land almost overnight. Some anticipated the takeover just in time, particularly the thieves' guild in Scant, which absconded from the city to the countryside in 584 CY. The barbaric treatment of the populace by the Scarlet Brotherhood whet the cry for revenge, and a general revolt was launched in late 586 CY before the Brotherhood could crack down on the rebels. The countryside became a battleground during a brief, bitter struggle in which the freedom fighters drove the Scarlet Brotherhood back to the city of Scant. These insurgents have nearly convinced Lord Mayor Cobb Darg of Irongate that they can win back the whole land soon. In late 590 CY, they garnered his official, though measured, support; Irongate backed Destron's government in exile in exchange for the export of desperately needed supplies to the besieged capital of the Iron League. Sister Kuranyie (in hiding to prevent her assassination) demanded a relief force from Kro Terlep to quash the rebellion. The Scarlet Brotherhood in Scant approached Turrosh Mak in the Pomarj for the orcs necessary to quash the rebellion. Mak was paid in slaves drawn from the population of Onnwal. Rebelswere able to draw Irongate into the conflict by blockading Scant. Rakehell Chert approached leaders of the Flan Headlanders, and granted them autonomy for the hills as a reward for joining the fight. The Scarlet brotherhood was forced back underground when they lost control of Scant. Scientific Revolution Onnwal was at the technological vanguard during the Scientific Revolution. The Brotherhood had taken advantage of a suspicious and growing fear of magic to regain positions of power in Scant. They represented technology as power for the people. While battles were raging across Flannaess between mages and technicians, The Scarlet Brotherhood was able to carve out a Seul Genocracy in the southern seas. The Brotherhood did not forget the benefits of magic; In their reluctance to give up power the brotherhood discovered that firearms with runed barrels and locks had extra umph and that tech treated with magic permitted ordinary soldiers to cast deadly spells. The Gnomes, Dwarves and Elves of Scant were shipped off to a work camp in Obelstone where they were forces to produce Magically fused technology to arm the brotherhoods mercenary bands. This Magitek was called ThrallTek. Brotherhood bands with ThrallTek became one of the most feared forces on Oerth; they would utilize drop-panzers and flash-jammers to conduct Blitz Purges anywhere on the planet. It appeared ThrallTek would rule the globe until the brotherhood lost their thrall-plant in Obelstone in a covert raid to the Citadel of Eight. Bigby Cranden quickly Seized the armaments of Obelstone and fortified the compound. The Slaves of Obelstone were freed and Cranden converted the factory-space to develop Magitek that the citadel would utilize to arm a global peacemaking force that would bring about an end to the Scientific Revolution. The Free State of Onnwal At the Treaty of Critwal, Bigby was granted Obelstone as his own autonomous city-state. He demolished the old tower with all of it's ghosts, and replaced it with a multiversal port city. Headquartered from his new headquarters, Hand Tower. Personalities Currently, Onnwal is divided into two controlling camps. Agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood command the fortified port of Scant and the immediate precincts of the city. While this represents less than 10% of the country, Scant is still the primary gateway to the rest of the Flanaess and the Scarlet Brotherhood fleet can use this city as a base to extort levies from sea traffic passing through the Strait of Gearnat. However, the hinterlands of the country are no longer theirs. A movement calling itself "Free Onnwal" has taken control of most of these lands since a general revolt against the Brotherhood invaders was launched in 586 CY. They have the support of most of the lairdships in the villages outside the capital. These insurgents are led by Lord Jian Destron, son of the deposed and assassinated Szek. His closest adviser is Rakehell Chert, the former leader of the thieves in Scant and now commander of the (ex-thief) guerrillas. These rebels are strongly allied with Irongate and the surviving states of the Iron League, who support them with goods, weapons, and intelligence. Free State of Onnwal His Noble Authority, Jian Destron, the Szek of Free Onnwal (LN male human Ftr8), His Honor Rakehell Chert Commander of the Free Onnwal Army of Rebellion (N male human Rog18) Jascar, Fortubo Allies: rebels Irongate, Sunndi, Nyrond, Duchy of Urnst, Greyhawk Enemies:rebels Scarlet Brotherhood, Lordship of the Isles, Pomarj. Ahlissa is regarded as an enemy by both sides. Exalted Sister Kuranyie (LE female human Mnk10) Osprem, Zilchus, Procan, Norebo, Xerbo, Races Human 79% Dwarf 9% Hill Dwarves Gnome 5%, Halfling 3%, Elf 2%, Locales Onnwal is a small realm, located on a large peninsula that extends westward from the Principality of Ahlissa (of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa), dividing the eastern Sea of Gearnat from the Azure Sea. Most of its lands are accessed primarily from the sea, for the neck of the peninsula is choked by the Headlands, which are almost impassable to most traffic. The city-state of Irongate, with its warding walls and fortresses, borders Onnwal in the east and guards the few passes onto the peninsula. These formidable barriers have generally isolated the realm from the affairs and conflicts of the continent. The lowlands that form the head of the peninsula are covered in rich pastures. These lands are home to clusters of small farms that surround villages connected to each other by a spidery road network spreading out from Scant. Mining of silver and platinum in the western foothills of the Headlands is the primary industry of the nation, but this activity has slowed to a crawl since revolt spread across the countryside. Food was once exported to Irongate, but the Scarlet Brotherhood halted such shipments out of Scant. Most Onnwal citizens are an Oeridian-Suel mix, descendants of settlers who displaced the original Flan natives to build farms. Some Flan tribes remain in the region, but they are not considered citizens and live in the hills, herding animals. Many dwarf clans live alongside these Headlanders, and the lot of them owe fealty to no one though remain on friendly terms with the Iron League. Hand Tower Scant Materials TBD References Nightshade over Greyhawk, Onnwal Article- Category:Nation Category:S10